A start of a golden era for Peterborough United ended in defeat at the hands of Everton
The transformation of Peterborough United since Darragh MacAnthony became owner is laid bare by the team he watched in his first game after taking control.
On Monday, September 18 MacAnthony completed his £1 takeover of Posh and the following night he settled down to watch his team take on Everton in a second road Carling Cup tie at London Road. It was the first competitive meeting between the clubs and they hadn’t been paired together since until Monday’s Third Round FA Cup draw, one that sends Posh to Goodison Park early in the New Year.
Keith Alexander was Posh boss and he had assembled a team to suit his preferred long-ball style of play. There was some quality in the team picked to take on Everton. Goalkeeper Mark Tyler and midfielders Richard Butcher and Peter Gain in particular, but there were big men at the back in Ben Turner and Jude Stirling – Guy Branston came on as a late substitute – and lumps up top in Justin Richards and Trevor Benjamin.
Surely they had no chance against an Everton team who were sitting in fourth place in the Premier League after a five-game unbeaten start to the season? Manager David Moyes rested top scorer Andy Johnson, but fielded a strong side including Phil Neville and Joleon Lescott in defence, former Posh star Simon Davies in midfield and James Beattie in attack. Recent England manager Lee Carsley played for 90 minutes, while current Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta came on for the final half an hour.
The Mark Hughes who played was not the former Manchester United and Everton star who helped conduct Monday’s FA Cup draw, but a debutant defender who never started another Everton game. He went on to play for Northampton Town.
Aussie international Tim Cahill was also sent on in the second-half and he turned out to be the 87th-minute matchwinner, although Posh were convinced he was offside when he followed up successfully after Tyler had made a top stop to thwart Victor Anichebe.
But then Posh had little luck throughout. Justin Richards saw an early header hooked off the line by Lescott after an error by Everton ‘keeper Richard Wright. Wright also appeared to trip Liam Davis, a loanee winger from Coventry City who played seven times for Posh, in the penalty area, but referee Ian Williamson was unmoved.
Everton opened the scoring in the 24th minute when Neville’s deep cross was headed back across goal with the ball striking Stirling and racing past Tyler for an unfortunate own goal, but Posh dug in and matched the Toffees blow for blow. And, after Adam Newton’s shot had been deflected over the crossbar, Benjamin headed home from the 57th minute corner to the delight of most in a 10,756 crowd. Within a minute Turner came close to heading Posh in front.
But Cahill had the last word and an era that would turn out to be a golden one for Posh had started with a defeat. Alexander was sacked four months later as MacAnthony made a bold move by appointing a complete novice manager called Darren Ferguson.
Posh: Mark Tyler, Dean Holden, Mark Arber, Ben Turner, Jude Stirling, Adam Newton, Richard Butcher (sub Shane Huke 82), Peter Gain (sub Guy Branston 90), LIam Davis (sub Danny Crow 62), Justin Richards, Trevor Benjamin.
Subs not used: Paul Carden, Jamie Day.
Everton: Richard Wright, Phil Neville, Nuno Valente, Joleon Lescott, Andy Van der Meyde (sub Tim Cahill 63), Gary Naysmith (Arteta 63), Mark Hughes, Simon Davies, Lee Carsley, James Beattie, Victor Anichebe. Subs not used: TonyHibbert, Andy Johnson, Ian Turner.